Quotes from oral histories

8.8Quotes from oral histories

8.8.1Maxine Barr (taped)

When Mum was born her father came back from the Second World War and her parents split up unfortunately. When men came back from the war they were not the same and it was hard for the women to cope with what the men were going through. This broke up their marriage and Nan gave mum to her husband’s family.

Maribyrnong means to me where Nan done a lot of her work in the early days, the setting up of the Aboriginal Advancement League, singing in the choir, any monies she got from her and other’s efforts, they would buy blankets and send them back to Cummeragunga and that makes me feel very proud of what my Grandmother done.

I remember Nan’s Soup Kitchen in Gertrude St. More money for setting up Aboriginal organisations. All the people like Nan, Uncle Doug Nicholls, Alec Jackomos also worked hard; all the money went to the organisations we have got today.

I have heard from the Maribyrnong Council as far as the ammunitions factory is concerned, that it is being pulled down and they’re going to make a housing estate. They (the Council) asked permission if they could name a street after Nan and Mum, which I was very proud of. But I asked them if they were going to name a street after Nan could they not use the name Margaret because it is very common. I would rather they use her Aboriginal name which is Lilardia; hopefully that would happen. Other suggestions are William Cooper, Sally Russell and all the others associated.

The Awards for reconciliation week 1998, the Maribyrnong got in touch with us and presented Allan and I with a plaque for the work and recognition Nan and Mum did in the Western suburbs.

I see a lot of difference between the Aboriginal people of yesterday and today and its very sad. People back then where very close knit. Now its so split its not funny. I look at the work the old people did, they worked together and the ones coming through today I am afraid and I will be the first to say its the money that counts now and it is splitting communities apart”.

8.8.2Allen Burns (taped)

As a result of being stolen my Grandmother found her calling in life to fight for Aboriginal rights. And in doing that I must say that the assimilation policy worked then. Even though she fought all her life for her people, she fought with a white Christian attitude, because she believed God made us all equal, and she felt God was there to reunite black and white.

I will quote her, my Grandmother “You can’t play a tune on the piano with just the white keys and you can’t play a tune on a piano with just the black keys. To get a tune in harmony you must use both the black and white keys and that’s when black and white come together and that was her philosophy. That she had to try and unite black and white in the community.

People made it quite clear the whiter you are the better you will be. Our family has been greatly effected because my Nan was taken away and she gave up my mother to her white in-laws because it was through them Mum would have a better chance in life.

The Smiths lived in Maribyrnong they were very supportive to our people. They are the first Gubariginies (white people whom understand and help with the Aboriginal cause). They helped with letters to set up our organisations. They stood up and were counted. I don’t remember their address, but it backs up to the Maribyrnong River. I use to play there as a child.

I was born in Seddon. Mum and Dad worked at the pub as bar people. That’s were I got my name Butch from. Mum said it would not last, the name Butch, but I still got it today and I will take that name to my grave”.

8.8.3Steve Johnston (not taped)

Steve presently works at Mirimbiak Nations Aboriginal Corporation, North Melbourne.

Steve was taken from his family at an early age. Steve remembers his family were living in the Kinglake - Whittlesea District prior to his removal.

At the age of 5 years Steve was placed in the Turana Boys Home. In 1956 he was at the Menzies Boys home in Mornington, then back to Turana, and later to Bayswater Boys Home at Dandenong.

Steve spent time in Maribyrnong when he would escape from the institutions. He talked of some of the activities he got up to as a young man.

Steve met his mother again at the age of twelve years, and his father at the age of 35, though both for only a brief time. Steve talked to me freely about parts of his life and for that I am truly grateful as I feel his story adds another dimension to Aboriginal life in the western suburbs.

Steve talked of the following times that related specifically to Maribyrnong:

“I would escape from the boy’s home and go to various places. In as far as Maribyrnong is concerned I remember I would go to the Pipeworks and spend time with others in the area. The people that I meet there were travellers, other Aboriginal people and under-privileged people. I use to sleep in the pipes with others to escape the rain or the cold. Many others would take refuge there as well; men women and children.

I would hang around the Pipeworks to keep off the main streets of Fitzroy, the reason being that if the police would catch me I would cop a thrashing.

How I survived - I may not be proud of what I have done. But I am definitely not ashamed of it either. Here goes, some of my activities as a youth. You know the Army Stores Depot on Maribyrnong Rd? A few mates, who I will not name, and I would break in to the depot and steal army issued food, blankets and boots, the food was good just to fill you up, we could sell the blankets for a small profit, however the boots was a very lucrative item and there was never any problem getting rid of them for a good price.

I remember people whom took refuge at the Pipeworks would go down to the William Angliss Meatworks in the mornings and stand around hoping to gain employment for a day or two.

My mates and I would go to various public events such as the Tracy Speedway (Stock Cars) and pick pockets to survive. We would then sometimes return to the Pipeworks with some beer or that and share it around. I remember sometime getting a feed at the Pipeworks if a fire was going and some food was available.

I remember riding around on bikes with my mates and one of our favourite swimming holes was on the dog leg in the Maribyrnong River just below the Pipeworks. I would not swim there now. My mates that I mucked around with were Greeks, Whites and other Aboriginal boys.

I remember if we would miss the ferry from Newport, we would sleep under the pedestrian overpass the one near the station, back towards the city about 1 mile from the Newport Station”.

Steve and his mates would catch pigeons and sell them to the Chinese for a shilling, and according to Steve that was a lot of money back then. With a shilling Steve could get a feed of fish and chips, a big feed unlike like today, and entry into the pictures, plus have ample change left over to buy other things.

8.8.4Melissa Brickell (taped)

Melissa was the first director of Melbourne’s Living Museum of the West.

“The Living Museum of the West began about 1985. At this time it was in a little house in a little street, rather inconspicuous; they were the early days. The house was at 4 David St, Footscray, since demolished.

At the time I lived at 6 Clive Street, Maribyrnong. I was involved with the Living Museum of the West and my dear friend Robert Mate Mate, who would come wandering along the Maribyrnong after finishing late researching or what ever. Robert would come to the back door and let himself in, have a feed and sleep. I made him leave a set of clothes at my house and I would wash his clothes he came with and he would always have the second set of clothing to start afresh the next day. That was our little arrangement, no prior notice needed.

8.8.5Summary: Empathy and reality

How small our thinking becomes when we let colour, nationality or human position divide us (Tucker 1983: 186).

Locally, nationally and internationally empathy for the Aboriginal community of Australia is at an all-time high, with non-Aboriginal people increasingly understanding the Aboriginal community and its diversity. However, empathy does not necessarily mean a great deal to the Aboriginal community of Victoria, especially when the Aboriginal people are still viewed in many instances as being inferior to the rest of society and when the special spiritual and religious association of Aboriginal people with the land is not acknowledged or accepted by the wider community. The Aboriginal people of Victoria are constantly struggling for a greater acceptance into today’s world, so that despite community empathy, many Aboriginal people feel that there is still a lack of understanding.

Ongoing research into the local Aboriginal community of the City of Maribyrnong is a significant contribution to bridging the gap which exists between empathy and reality. Aboriginal people and places in the municipality have contributed to raising the consciousness of the general community and have been forerunners in gaining major achievements in Aboriginal affairs.

The Aboriginal community is constantly changing with the times. Today there are more opportunities to mix with other nationalities such as Greek, Italian and Maltese people. Prior to the 1930s the Aboriginal people were mainly housed on missions and/or government reserves. After this time many Victorian Aboriginal women and men found greater work opportunities, and there has been an increasing trend in Aboriginal marriages, as opposed to marrying white people. The Maribyrnong community of today is totally different from the 1930s-1950s. During this period of time people came to the Maribyrnong district in waves. Both the ethic and Aboriginal people were mainly concentrated into pockets and through this concentration they had a shared history relating to housing, work and entertainment, creating a sense of economic and social security. There has been a greater sense of activism that stemmed from events such as the Cummeragunga Walk Off in the 1930s and the Aboriginal Advancement league.

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